Resolution Report Card, 2016

To read more. Maybe with all the flying and perhaps with reviewing a bit less?

To disrupt disrupting. I
hate the use of the word disrupt to discuss any new tech/idea/movement
that aims to change stuff. My first talk of the year will be at a
Queens event "Re-thinking Pedagogy in International Relations
in an Era of Globalization and Disruption", and my
role is to be the scold. This jargon from the tech world tends to
overplay the impact of whatever is doing the disrupting and have been
used so much as to become meaningless.

To return to the big network grant project. It has been on the back
burner as I have sought money for my work and then for my sabbatical.
This summer, I turn back to the greater good.

Be a better co-author for some of my co-authors. On one key
project, I have been the obstacle to getting stuff done. Indeed, I need
to return to that project this afternoon rather than blog about my
year....

On the other hand, I resolve to keep on blogging and tweeting as it
is going to be an interesting year with the book tour, with research
trips to Brazil, Japan and maybe South Korea.

I resolve to enjoy the hell out of my sabbatical that starts in July.

Resolving to self-promote was an easy one to keep, as I did give many book talks throughout Canada although I somehow did not manage to go to Calgary or Toronto like I had hoped. Still, the two talks in Vancouver plus great skiing at Whistler were highlights of the year as were the talks in Quebec where I got to see former students thrive. If only I had one of my former students working near the Alps...

Read more? Fail. I read a lot online, but have not caught up on either the books I have meant to read or the journals. I am hoping the second half of my sabbatical is a smidge more productive than the first half.

Once I push the launch button on the big network grant project in early February, I will have more time to catch up on the reading. The good news is that this project to fund a network has produced heaps of fun and informative networking. So, even if it does not get funded, it will have been worth it.

I have been a better co-author for most of my partners, and a frustrating one for two friends awaiting some resolution to our stymied project. But the one mentioned above is under review, so woot?

I didn't go to Brazil or South Korea, but Japan was pretty amazing, and I go back to Japan for followups and talks next week. Because of impeachment in Brazil, I had to postpone that trip until this spring. Because of impeachment in South Korea, I will have to postpone that trip until next year. The project itself is already successful with our first publications (here's Dave's contribution). I learned a great deal in Japan, just as Phil has learned much from his trip down under and his France/Belgium research as has Dave from his Arctic explorations. Still much to learn, much more to write, but I feel pretty vindicated by both our progress and events in the world that have made the issue of legislative oversight over armed forces more obviously relevant.

My sabbatical? Yes, I am enjoying it, although spending too much time thinking and writing about Canada's defence review in the summer and the American election and outcome this fall has probably gotten in the way of doing the aforementioned reading that will, of course, re-appear in tomorrow's resolutions for 2017.

2016 was an awful year to be a celebrity, and the US election was awful in both process and outcome. But professionally and personally, it was an excellent year for me and my family. I will be reviewing the year in Spew tomorrow to see how 2016 was in Spew. I hope you and yours have a great 2017. At the very least, the year will end with yet more Star Wars.

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Stephen M. Saideman

Intro

Greetings! I am a political scientist, specializing in International Relations, my research and teaching focus on ethnic conflict and civil-military relations. I watch way too much TV, and I like movies as well so I tend to write about both and find IR stuff in pop culture. I rant alot about American politics and sometimes about Canadian politics. I like to take ideas I once learned a long time ago and apply them to whatever strikes my fancy.